I've been learning a bit about self-righteousness lately. It seems to be coming up around every turn. This is usually when I suspect that the Lord is trying to get my attention about something. Too bad I'm not keenly aware of Him sooner.
I was reading a blog yesterday from the youth ministry of Sovereign Grace Church. Every Thursday the youth pastor puts something on the blog for parents. Now I am not a parent nor am I a youth, but for some reason I was reading through the blog (it's a link on the girltalk blog). So, this particular blog was quite interesting as it was talking about self-righteousness. Here are a few things that Mark (the pastor at SGC) said that the Lord used to really cause me to think about my sin:
"Self-righteousness is believing that my opinions and behavior are morally superior to those of others"
"We are self-righteous because we are proud. Self-righteousness distorts our view of ourselves and others by exaggerating our virtues, and exaggerating others deficiencies."
Wow, how true are these statements! I've never heard self-righteousness explained this way, but it was exactly what I needed to hear/read. The blog also mentioned a few thoughts that may help you catch self-righteousness: "I sure hope _____ heard that message. They really need it!", "I can't believe he_____", "How could she_____", "That's the dumbest/most ridiculousous/ect. thing I've ever heard/see/read."
Our thoughts can be so harsh. I am so guilty of thinking things like this often. Somewhere in my heart, I believe that I am so much better than anyone else. I deceivedved! Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart deceitfulful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" It's so hard to learn (over and over again) that I am mislead, sinful, deceitfulful and unworthy. I want so badly to think I am wonderful, always right, brilliant and worthy of all things.
It's sobering to read God's word and remember who I am compared to Him. In fact, compared to anyone I am still nothing! A high and mighty view of myself leads me down paths of pride, impatience, self-righteousness and pain. I am humbled by God's words in Psalm 103:14, "For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust." Dust, that's all I am. That's so...dirty. I can't help but be encouraged through the same psalm. God's mercy and love amaze me. "...He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:10-12) I am certainly unworthy when I think of such things.
The Gospel is something I so often forget, but something I claim to live. If the Gospel was always at the front of my thoughts, ways, words, actions...would I not be a truly different person? A person being daily transformed by the power of the Gospel? I am forever grateful and in awe of the life and death of Jesus. "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6) This is a verse I keep coming back to. I am always affected when I read those words. I am sinful, ungodly and powerless. Remembering my sin makes me look at my disgusting self instead of judging others.
My self-righteousness is sin. I feel like it's been hiding and I've called it so many other things. But now, by God's grace, I see it. I can feel it and I know what it looks like. I want to hate it and turn away from it. I wish it were that easy. I pray that I would love the Gospel and let it daily transform me. I pray that God's word would be sweet to my lips and that I would hunger and thirst for Him and not the ways of the world. Maybe someday I'll know what it's like to be selfless and humble, until then I pray I'll remember that I am not.
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